Tiltable bench-mounted pipe vise



May 16, 1961 v w. RENZ 2,984,132

TILTABLE BENCH-MOUNTED PIPE VISE Filed March 23, 1959 28 2s a INVENTOR. '8 2 3O WILL/AM RENZ I A T TORNE VS 1 sections.

United States Patent invention relates to a pipe vise and is particularly adapted for facilitating the joining and calking of pipe joints.-. Regardless of the shape of the pipe section, its i bellcan be held in an upright position during the calking operation. This is true whether the pipe section is straight, in the form of a Y, a half Y or any of the various degrees of bend which might be found in pipe Another advantage of the invention is in connection With the fabrication of plumbers trees since the assemblykpf pipes comprising a tree can be held firmly uprightxduring its assembly and while outlet fittings and other accessories are attached to it.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pipe vise and stand unit wherein the stand or bench is so 1 constructed\that it has a maximum strength with a given weight and its shape is such that it forms a convenient tool holder which will keep the tools readily available and adjacent the work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pipe vise and bench fcombination which can be readily transported from job to job, thereby eliminating the time consuming and economically wasteful present practice of building temporary makeshift benches which are discarded when the job is completed. Such benches, moreover, do not have the facilities for holding a pipe vise in various angularpos'itions to accommodate the numerous requirements such as are encountered in providing the plumbing for a single dwelling house.

The above and other objects will more fully appear from the lfollowing description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figuregjlwis a sideelevational view of an embodiment of the invention withfwork held in two different positions. r

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in rear side elevation of the end of the bench shown at the left in Figure 1, with the vise removed.

Figure 3 is a vertical, transverse section on the crankshaft of the structure of Figure 2, with the vise supporting member in an angularly elevated position.

Figure 4 is a perspective of the end of the bench shown at the right in Figure 1.

The frame or bench includes a top 6 of channel shape with its side webs 8 extending upwardly. Each end of the top 6 is provided with leg portions 10 which are preferably welded to the underside of the bench top. To the lower ends of the leg portions 10 are lower leg sections 12 connected to the upper portions by means of threaded unions 14.

At one or both ends of the bench top 6 is a short channel section 16 which compirses a vise supporting member or plate. Its side webs are preferably directed downwardly. The member 16 is pivotally secured by a bolt 18 adjacent the extreme end portion of the bench top 6, the bolt lying horizontally so that the vise supporting member 16 can be swung from a flat position 7, 2,984,132 Patented May 16, 1961 resting upon the bench top to desired angular positions relative thereto.

With particular reference to the form of the device shown at the left-hand end in Figure 1, the free end of the vise supporting member 16 is provided on its underside with a pair of spaced lugs 20 between which is pivotally secured the upper end of a linear brace 22. This brace extends downwardly through the slot 24 in the bench top and is of such length that the vise supporting member 16 can be swung to a vertical position or beyond the vertical and the brace will remain in the slot 24. V

Welded to one of the bench top side webs 8 is a sleeve 26 having a nut 28 welded thereto. Extending through a suitable aperture in the web 8 and through the sleeve 26 is the shaft of a crank 30 whose inner end is threaded throughthe nut 28. When the crank is rotated threadedly to moveit inwardly, it will bear against the brace 22 and lock the same against one side of the slot 24 in the bench top, thereby releasably securing the brace and the vise supporting member 16 in various adjusted positions.

Mounted on the vise supporting member 16 is a bench vise 32 of suitable construction. It includes an end rest 34 for a piece of pipe and a locking chain 36 held by a conventional clamp 38 in a manner well known in the art.

The unit can be readily transported to a job with the lower leg sections 12 removed. When they are connected to the upper sections by means of the union 14, the assembly is ready for use. When a piece of pipe is clamped on the vise 32, it can be held in a desired position depending upon the shape of the pipe and the work to be done with it. At the left side of Figure 1, there is shown a pipe section 40 having a bell 42 into which has been inserted the lower end of a pipe section 44. In this position, a molten' calking can readily be poured into the bell 42 to provide a sealed joint between it and the pipe section 44.

At the right end of Figure 1, there is shown a pipe section 46 held in a vise 32 and having a branch 48 with an upwardly directed bell 50. The bell 50 can be placed in this upstanding position by proper angular adjustment of the vise holding member 16. Thus, a pipe section can be inserted in the bell 50 and calking can be poured or otherwise conveniently placed in the bell 50 around the inserted section of pipe not shown.

The right-hand end of the device shown in Figures 1 and 4 illustrates a modified form of the device, this modified form having many components in common with the previously described form. The modification permits the device to be used not only on the leg-supported structure shown in Figure 1 but also on any convenient bench or table.

Whereas the linear brace 22 of the first form passes through an opening 24 formed in the channel 8, the modified form does not require an opening in the supporting member. Instead, the brace 52 is arcuate in nature, one end being pivotally mounted between the lugs 20 and the other end free to move as the plate 16 is tilted to various selected angles. Clamping is effected by suitable rotation of a crank 53 having a threaded end in engagement with a nut 54 mounted on the inner end of a sleeve 56. As the inner end of the crank moves inwardly, it clamps an intermediate portion of the arcuate brace 52 against an opposing sleeve 57, a transverse plate 58 serving to support and make rigid the clamping structure.

As stated above, the apparatus can be used not only for purposes such as illustrated but to facilitate the assembly of a plumbers tree which is made up of several pipe branches from a main supply pipe or a main drain. Heretofore, it has been customary to assemble such a tree by leaning it up against the side of some building structure where it is insecurely supported and its assembly is made difiicult for that reason. With my device, the tree can ,be firmly held in the vise and .vise can be tilted to difierent positions from time to time to suit the convenience of .theplumber in assemblingdifierent parts of thetree.

It should be understood that rvarious changes .can be made ,inithe form, details'and arrangement oftthe various parts .without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

,A pipe vise comprising a bench having a top in the form of a channel having upwardly directed webs, aplate in the ,form of :a channel having downwardly directed webs spaced apart a distance difierent from the dimension between said upwardly directed webs, means for pivotally mounting said plate adjacent one endof said bench whereby said plate is angularly movable about .a horizontal axis, an arcuate brace pivotally mounted on the end of said plate remote from the pivot axis of said plate, means for clamping said arcuate brace as .said plate is tilted to a predetermined angular attitude, and a pipe vise mounted on the upper side of said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 434,237 Becker Aug. 12, 1890 800,685 Scoggins Oct. 3, 1905 869,461 Rosenbaum Oct. 29, 1907 1,042,611 Schulz Oct. 29, 1912 1,126,544 Martin H Jan. 26, 1 915 1,393,766 Du Charme Oct. 18, 1921 1,397,931 Kurtz :Nov. 22, 1921 1,408,675 Wimberg Mar. 7, 1922 1,585,490 Hainsworth May 18, 1926 1,732,081 Clement Oct. 15, 1929 2,410,330 Ashenfelter Oct. 29, 1946 2,550,629 Welz Apr. 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS France Apr.13,,1,9 49 

